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30 Sep 1997 | Nicaragua Drought Situation Report No.1

The UNDP/DHA Resident Representative reports that a serious drought is affecting approximately 27 municipalities, namely, Mozonte, Ocotal, Santa Maria de Macuelito, San Lucas, Somoto, Yalaguina, Achuapa, Santa Rosa Del Peņon, Palacaguina, Totogalpa, San Juan de Limay, San Nicolas, Larreynaga, El Sauce, El Jicaral, San Francisco, San Pedro, Villanueva, Santo Tomas and Somotillo, on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, reportedly due to the El Niņo phenomenon.

29 Sep 1997 | Bangladesh Cyclone Situation Report No.1

The UNDP Resident Representative in Dhaka reports that an unexpected cyclonic storm, with wind gusts of up to 125 km/h, made its first landfall on 27 September between 01:50 and 03:00 hrs in the Noakhali area

26 Sep 1997 | Indonesia Drought Situation Report No.1

Hunger and a cholera outbreak in Indonesia's eastermost province of Irian Jaya have claimed more than 265 lives since mid-August, the official Antara news agency reported on 25 September 1997

26 Sep 1997 | Heavy fighting in northern Iraq as Turkish troops hit Kurds

Heavy fighting is reported to have broken out in northern Iraq, following an big incursion by the Turkish Army.

25 Sep 1997 | SE Asia Environmental Emergency Situation Report No.1

Governments of the affected countries have not made official international appeals. However, it is understood that they would welcome assistance.

23 Sep 1997 | Papua New Guinea Drought and Frost Situation Report No.1

Major parts of Papua New Guinea have received little or no rain since February/March this year. The drought may continue at least until December 1997 or January 1998.

23 Sep 1997 | Major offensive launched North of Mazar-i-Sharif

Anti-Taleban forces in Afghanistan have launched a major offensive to recapture a strategic town on the Uzbek border

19 Sep 1997 | WFP almost running out of food in Freetown

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned today that its food stocks have almost run out in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone

05 Sep 1997 | Tropical Storm Erika Situation Report No.1

According to the US National Weather Service, as of 1200 UTC , today, 5 September 1997, a tropical storm warning remains in effect for the Dutch portion of St. Maarten, for Antigua, Montserrat, Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis and Anguilla, Dominica

28 Aug 1997 | Fierce fighting reported near Jalalabad

Fighting has been reported North of Jalalabad. Key road to Kunar in hands of anti-Taleban forces.

27 Aug 1997 | 30,000 homeless after North Korea hit by tidal waves

North Korean officials say a series of Tidal waves has hit the country's west coast, leaving nearly 30,000 people homeless.

26 Aug 1997 | Myanmar Floods Situation Report No.2

The Foreign Economic Relations Department (Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development) requests "emergency relief to provide any possible assistance to the people in the flooded areas". The areas referred to are located in Mon State, and Bago and Ayeyarwaddy Divisions.

21 Aug 1997 | Moldova Floods Situation Report No.1

Moldova was affected by torrential rains with hail and squally winds in the period of 6 July to 28 July 1997

21 Aug 1997 | Seychelles Floods Situation Report No.1

3 islands have been hit: Praslin, La Digue and especially Mah. The Seychelles does not normally experience such weather conditions, and being outside the cyclone belt is unprepared for such eventualities.

14 Aug 1997 | Myanmar Floods Situation Report No.1

The UNDP/DHA Resident Representative reports that, with the on-set of the monsoon, incessant rains in the first week of August were unusually heavy in the northern and southern parts of Myanmar.

12 Aug 1997 | UN seeks emergency food aid for 1.75 m people in war ravaged Afghanistan

Afghanistan will need 170,000 tons of emergency food aid for some 1.75 million people in coming months, UN food agencies reported today.

11 Aug 1997 | Clashes in Tajikistan's capital Dunshanbe

Followers of rival government officials battled in and around the capital with tanks and heavy artillery during the weekend and dozens of people are reported to have been killed

07 Aug 1997 | Rwanda: massacres of unarmed civilians escalate

Thousands of unarmed civilians are being deliberately and arbitrarily killed in Rwanda and massacres have intensified since May 1997, while the international community looks the other way, Amnesty International said today.

06 Aug 1997 | Ecowas Seeks U.N. Backing For Full Sactions Against Sierra Leone

Nigeria, which holds the chairmanship of the 16-member regional group Ecowas, has embarked on efforts to enlist United Nations backing for full sanctions against Sierra Leone.

05 Aug 1997 | Chechnya To Receive Reconstruction Aid

Barriers to providing aid to Chechnya have been lifted, freeing Russian rubles for rebuilding the war-ravaged region.

01 Aug 1997 | WFP Appeal for the Caucasus 1 July 1997 - 30 June 1998

More than 1.5 million refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) (nearly ten percent of the total population) remain stranded in temporary shelter throughout the Transcaucasus, with barely any means of livelihood. Outstanding requirements until 30 June 1998 are 33,919 tons, or 15.7 million US dollars.

29 Jul 1997 | 5 Million Said Facing Starvation in N.Korea

At least 5 million people in North Korea are suffering from a crisis of starvation that is reaching ``the level of the notorious Somalia and Ethiopia famines,'' the leader of an aid group said Tuesday.

14 Jul 1997 | Benin Flood Situation Report No. 2

Following severe flooding since late June, the Government of Benin is appealing for international assistance.

13 Jul 1997 | Bangladesh Floods Situation Report No. 1

According to the Flood Information Centre in Dhaka, cited by News Agencies, almost one fourth of the country is affected. Flash floods and land/mudslides have been reported in some 20 (out of 64 administrative) districts, especially in North and Central North as well as in the hilly areas in north and south-east.

09 Jul 1997 | Sudan Said to Clear Way for Talks to End Civil War

Sudan's president and other African leaders said Wednesday Sudan accepted a framework for negotiations to end the nation's 14-year civil war, clearing the way for a resumption of talks.

01 Jul 1997 | Benin Flood Situation Report No. 1

Due to heavy rains in the past two weeks, flooding occurred in two principal towns in Benin, i.e., Cotonou in the Department of Atlantic and Porto-Novo in the Department of Oueme.

30 Jun 1997 | Montserrat Volcanic Eruption Situation Report No.1

Alert level remains at Orange (alert level three, alert level four (Red) being highest alert level).

24 Jun 1997 | Chile Floods Situation Report No.1

Severe damage has been caused in a considerably large portion of the country ranging from the region of Atacama (capital: Copiapo) in the north to the region of La Frontera (capital: Temuco) in the south.

18 Jun 1997 | Two WFP Staff Shot Dead in Rwanda

The World Food Programme today condemned the brutal killing of a local staff member and his family as well as a separate incident in which another WFP local contract employee was found dead in a forest after being shot in the head.

04 Jun 1997 | Sierra Leonean Forces Reportedly Take 300 Nigerian Soldiers Hostage

Sierra Leonean forces have reportedly taken 300-Nigerian soldiers as human shields in the capital, Freetown.

02 Jun 1997 | At Least 27 Wounded in Albania Bombs

Bomb attacks injured 27 people in the Albanian capital Tirana on Monday, raising tension ahead of June 29 elections intended to restore stability in the chaotic Balkan nation

29 May 1997 | Britain to Evacuate Citizens from Sierra Leone

Britain plans to begin evacuating its citizens and other Westerners from Sierra Leone Thursday as regional power Nigeria builds up a military force to challenge coup leaders in the West African nation.

27 May 1997 | Looters Steal WFP food stocks and equipment in violence following Military Coup

Rome - Looters have pillaged the World Food Programme's warehouses in Freetown, stealing at least 1,650 tons of food aid, 15 motor vehicles and other equipment in violence following Sunday's military coup, WFP said today.

26 May 1997 | Coup in Sierra Leone

The Organization of African Unity has condemned a military coup in Sierra Leone describing it as unacceptable to the continent

22 May 1997 | India Earthquake Situation Report No.1

Powerful Earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck central India at 04:22 hrs. local time on 22 May 1997 (22:52 hrs. GMT 21 May).

19 May 1997 | Cyclone batters Bangladesh coast, 500,000 evacuated

A severe cyclone from the Bay of Bengal lashed the Bangladesh coast on Monday, demolishing homes in its path and forcing the evacuation of more than half a million people. There was no word on casualties as the cyclone pounded the Cox's Bazar and Teknaf areas, the country's southernmost tip, with winds of more than 200 kph (124 mph), officials said.

16 May 1997 | Madagascar Locusts Situation Report No. 1

The UNDP/DHA Resident Coordinator in Antananarivo reports that the Government of Madagascar has launched an international appeal for assistance in the locust emergency in southern and southwestern Madagascar.

15 May 1997 | China floods situation report No 1

Resident Representative in Beijing advises that the Ministry of Civil Affairs in Beijing has issued a disaster situation report following heavy rainstorms in Guangdong Province, China.

14 May 1997 | Britain and U.S. urge their citizens to quickly leave Zaire

Britain and the United States have issued serious warnings to their citizens in Zaire to leave the collapsing country.

12 May 1997 | Zaire rebels warn foreigners to leave Kinshasa

The rebels' foreign affairs spokesman, Bizima Karaha said foreigners living in Kinshasa should take safety measures until the city is liberated

09 May 1997 | Zaire Rebels Denounce PowerTransition Steps

Zairean rebels rejected on Friday as ``absolute nonsense'' transition steps proposed by a summit of Central African leaders on Thursday and vowed to topple President Mobutu Sese Seko unless he resigned.

06 May 1997 | Fighting Continues In Southern Burundi

Violent clashes between Burundi's Tutsi-dominated army and Hutu rebels continued for the fourth day Tuesday in the two southern provinces of Makamba and Bururi, an army spokesman said.

06 May 1997 | Taliban arrest seven employes of a French NGO

The director of the Afghanistan-Vaccination Immunisation Center, Philippe Truze, says the employees were among 25 arrested without justification late last month.

28 Apr 1997 | Conditions to repatriation plan

MSF is extremely worried about the refugees' fate, following findings of an MSF team at the Western Bukavu axis, clearly indicating systematic killings of refugees by rebels troops.

28 Apr 1997 | UN given 60 day deadline to repatriate refugees from Zaire

Zaire's rebel leader Laurent Kabila has given the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 60 days to repatriate more than 85-thousand refugees from the Kisangani region of eastern Zaire.

23 Apr 1997 | U.N. says refugees may have fled Zaire camps

The U.N. refugee agency said on Wednesday it was checking reports that 55,000 Rwandan Hutu refugees had fled two camps in rebel-held Zaire after a military operation and attacks by local villagers.

22 Apr 1997 | Zaire rebels seal refugee camps

Rebel soldiers in eastern Zaire have sealed off camps where more than 80-thousand Rwandan-Hutu refugees are trapped in primitive conditions which are extracting a high death toll.

21 Apr 1997 | Caucasus: Intense Fighting Reported Over Weekend

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said Armenian forces using anti-tank guns, grenade launchers and light weapons began firing on Azerbaijani territory Friday night from Nagorno-Karabakh.

10 Apr 1997 | Zaire rebels take Lubumbashi

The fall of the city, which has been expected for several days, leaves the rebels in control of every major town and city in Zaire except for the capital Kinshasa.

07 Apr 1997 | UN Issues New Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPKR)

Mr.Yasushi Akashi, Under -Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs is calling for US$ 126.2 million to meet urgent humanitarian needs in the DPRK.

01 Apr 1997 | UN appeals for US $68.2 million to meet humanitarian needs in Sierra Leone

The United Nations today appealed for US $68.2 million to address the humanitarian needs in Sierra Leone following five years of civil conflict, which formally ended with the signing of the Abidjan peace accord on 30 November 1996.

25 Mar 1997 | Secretary-General Kofi Annan appeals for US $228.4 million for urgent assistance to Angola

Secretary-General Kofi Annan launched the United Nations Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Angola today in Luanda, calling upon the international community to continue to contribute generously throughout 1997 to help support efforts to consolidate peace in Angola, following nearly two decades of conflict.

21 Mar 1997 | American troops told to prepare for possible evacuation in Zaire

American troops in Europe are on notice to prepare for a possible order to evacuate Americans from strife torn Zaire, in central Africa.

19 Mar 1997 | UN appeals for US$ 325 million for emergency assistance to the Great Lakes region in 1997

While the humanitarian situation throughout the Great Lakes region remains precarious, the United Nations appealed to-day for US$ 324.5 million to meet the emergency humanitarian needs of over 1.4 million refugees, internally-displaced persons and returnees affected by the ongoing emergency.

19 Mar 1997 | UN Agency says North Korea weeks away from famine

The head of the United Nations World Food Program says North Korean is weeks away from possible starvation.

18 Mar 1997 | Albania: ICRC launches appeal for 15 million Swiss francs

On 17 March 1997 the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) launched an appeal for 15 million Swiss francs to cover the needs of victims of the crisis in Albania for an initial period of three months.

17 Mar 1997 | Zaire rebels push on to new target

Zaire's rebels are pushing on towards their latest objective, the country's second largest city, Lubumbashi, following their victory over government forces in the battle for Kisangani.

14 Mar 1997 | UN appoints new Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Great Lakes Region

14 Mar. 1997. United Nations appoints new Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Great Lakes Region. The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Under-Secretary-General Yasushi Akashi, announced the appointment of Mr. Pierce Gerety as Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Great Lakes Region. Mr. Gerety, a United States national, succeeds Mr. Martin Griffiths, who has resumed his functions as Director of the Geneva Office of the Department of Humanitarian Affairs.

14 Mar 1997 | Cyclone Justin Situation Report No. 1

Between 1,000 and 1,500 houses have been destroyed and some 12,000 to 15,000 people have been made homeless, also at locations all around the country.

14 Mar 1997 | Angolans Join In The Battle for Zaire

A security source close to UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola) says the movement has deployed 1,600 of its most battle-hardened men to help their ally next door.

12 Mar 1997 | Zaire : assistance for Tingi Tingi refugees

A new site is being established by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to shelter refugees from Tingi Tingi, Kalima and Shabunda.

10 Mar 1997 | Zaire peace envoy reports 'breakthrough' on aid for refugees

A Dutch peace envoy says the Zairean rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, is willing to open an humanitarian convoy to enable aid groups to reach refugees in territory controlled by his followers..

06 Mar 1997 | Sudan: Disaster 'In The Making' In Sudanese Nuba Mountains

A major catastrophe is in the making in the Nuba Mountains in Sudan where an estimated 500,000 people have run out of food and need emergency relief aid, say Sudanese community leaders

05 Mar 1997 | Iran appeals for international aid

Iran has asked the international community for humanitarian aid, in the wake of last week's earthquake in the north-western region of Ardebil.

04 Mar 1997 | Zaire kicks out U.N. aid workers

Zaire has ordered the expulsion of 40 U.N. relief workers who withdrew from the eastern city of Kisangani last weekend, saying their departure triggered the alleged slaughter of Rwandan Hutus and displaced Zaireans.

28 Feb 1997 | Zaire: Zaire rebels say near camp, took part of town

Rebels said on Friday they were six km (four miles) from the largest refugee camp in eastern Zaire but were delaying an advance for the sake of innocent refugees there.

28 Feb 1997 | Zaire: Sources confirm rebel capture of Kindu: UN

Zairean rebels occupied the strategic town of Kindu on Thursday morning, the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs quoted well placed regional sources as stating Friday

26 Feb 1997 | Tajikistan: Hospitals Filled With Typhoid Patients

A leading doctor in Dushanbe says that all available beds in the city's eight hospitals are filled with people suffering from typhoid fever.

24 Feb 1997 | Bolivia Floods: DHA Geneva Situation Report No. 1

According to the UNDP/DHA Resident Representative, torrential rains have been affecting a vast part of Bolivia, causing serious flooding in eight of its nine Departments.

21 Feb 1997 | Tajikistan: Ordered departure of dependants

The US Department of State announced February 21 its decision to order the departure of Embassy dependents in Tajikistan and to authorize the voluntary departure of non-essential Embassy staff.

20 Feb 1997 | Mozambique: Government Prepares Emergency Appeal For Flood Victims

The Mozambican government is preparing to launch an emergency appeal on Monday,seeking international support for the victims of widespread flooding in the centre of the country.

17 Feb 1997 | Malawi Floods Situation Report No.1

The UN Resident Coordinator in Lilongwe reports that recent heavy rains have caused severe flooding in southern Malawi. The regions most seriously hit are Chikwawa and Nsanje, while Mangochi and Ntcheu have been affected to a lesser extent.

14 Feb 1997 | United Nations seeks US $11.9 million for the return and reintigration of displaced persons from Chechnya, Russion Federation

The United Nations today appealed for US $11.9 million to address the humanitarian needs of persons who had been displaced as a result of the conflict in Chechnya, Russian Federation.

13 Feb 1997 | Food Situation in N. Korea Critical by April

DPR Korea, reeling from poor harvests after major floods, will need foreign food supplies by April if a serious crisis and starvation is to be averted, U.N. and aid officials said Thursday.

13 Feb 1997 | Tajik rebels shoot U.N. observer

Tajik rebels holding more than a dozen Russian and Western hostages have shot dead a United Nations military observer, Itar-Tass news agency said on Thursday.

12 Feb 1997 | Reports of revolt against Taliban in eastern Afghanistan

A tribal revolt is reported to have broken out against the Taliban Islamic militia in the eastern Afghanistan province of Kunar.

11 Feb 1997 | Kenya-Drought DHA Situation Report No. 1

On 28 January, the Government of Kenya officially declared a drought emergency. The President chaired a meeting of senior Government officials and donors where an official appeal for food and non-food assistance was presented.

10 Feb 1997 | Somalia appeals for food aid as famine worsens

International aid workers have been called on to help save tens of thousands of starving people in drought-stricken Somalia.

06 Feb 1997 | Tajikistan - Urgent Information Update

All international and local staff have been grounded and currently (as at 14:30pm local time) all UN staff based in Dushanbe are either at UNMOT HQ, in their office or at home. The same advice was forwarded as advice to all IGOs/NGOs and key embassies in Dushanbe.

06 Feb 1997 | Zaire - Rebels advance as soldiers and refugees flee

Rebels who have captured a huge swathe of eastern Zaire were advancing Thursday as tens of thousands of Rwandan Hutu refugees and displaced Zaireans fled before them.

06 Feb 1997 | Tajikistan - Red Cross suspends aid operations

The Red Cross announced Thursday it was temporarily suspending its aid operations in Tajikistan after armed rebels abducted UN and Red Cross workers.

04 Feb 1997 | Rwanda - Four U.N. staff killed in Rwandan ambush

our United Nations employees, including a Briton and a Cambodian, were killed in an ambush in southwestern Rwanda on Tuesday, a U.N. official said.

03 Feb 1997 | DPR Korea Says Grain Stocks Fall Short

DPR Korea said Monday it had only half the grain needed to feed its people. The KCNA thanks the international community for food assistance, and seeks continued help.

31 Jan 1997 | Zaire - Suspension of relief agency operations

U-N officials say the Zairian Government has ordered the suspension of relief agency operations for Rwandan refugees near the eastern town of Lubutu.

30 Jan 1997 | Zaire army on defensive on many fronts

Zaire's counter-offensive against rebels has run into difficulty with the mercenary-backed government army on the defensive on many fronts, government and military sources said on Thursday. A senior defence ministry official in the capital Kinshasa said rebels backed by Rwandan troops were heading towards the mining province of Shaba and were within 70 km (45 miles) of the town of Kalemie. Ugandan troops backing the rebels had reached the Upper Zaire town of Bunia, close to the Ugandan border, which the Zaire army earlier claimed to have partly retaken, the sources said.

23 Jan 1997 | Sahnoun Named U.N. Envoy To Great Lakes Region

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan Wednesday named Mohammed Sahnoun of Algeria as a joint special representative of the U.N. and the O.A.U. to the Great Lakes region.

23 Jan 1997 | Zaire Says Offensive Has Begun, Town Captured

Zaire's government said Thursday that its army had launched its promised counter-offensive against rebels in the east and recaptured the town of Walikale.

20 Jan 1997 | Aid Workers in Rwanda May Pull Out

International aid workers hold crisis talks Monday on whether to suspend relief operations in some parts of Rwanda after the murder of three Spaniards over the weekend.

16 Jan 1997 | Afghan Peace Talks Fail

Three days of talks in Pakistan aimed at establishing peace in Afghanistan, have ended without progress.

08 Jan 1997 | UN says deaths mount among refugees in Zaire

Officials of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday reported an "alarming increase'' in deaths among refugees, mainly from Rwanda, in isolated areas of eastern Zaire.

For previous Bulletin items see Part II